Lasting-machine



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. F. PRESTON. LASTING MAGHINE Patqnted July 25,- 1893.

L. -L I WIT- 155555 (No Model.) 6 Bhets-Sheefi 2';- A. F. PRESTON. LASTING MACHINE.

Patented July 25, 1893.

WITNESSES om t e e h s H e e h 8 6 H mm ,Tm mmA G N H M AL a d o M o w No. 502,236. Patented July 25, 1893.

I l m (No Model.) 6 Sfieets-Sheet 4.

A. F. PRESTON. LASTING MACHINE.

N0. 502,236. Pate d July 25, 1.893. I

WIT EEEEE (No Model.)

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LASTING MAGHINE. No. 502,236.

Patented July 25,1893.

*1 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT F. PRESTON, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE COLUMBIAN LASTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF

PORTLAND, MAINE.

LASTlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,236, dated July 25, 1893.

Application filed July s, 1891. Serial No. 398,411. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. PRESTON, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lasting-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in lasting machines for boots or shoes for which Letters Patent of the United States were issued to me as inventor January 1, 1889, Nos. 395,629 and 395,630. In the machines described and shown in these Letters Patent, a series of pairs of jaws or clamps, secured to bars or rods which are arranged to be moved backward and forward in suitable guideways and in their backward movement in relation to each other are guided in diverging and converging lines, are arranged substantially in a horizontal plane corresponding to or substantially to the longitudinal contour of the bottom of the boot or shoe to be lasted, are adapted to grasp and hold between them one side of the upper of the boot or shoe at desired points, at or about or along the edge of the upper, and are connected to means for operating upon them to so grasp and hold the upper, and then pull the upper where so held by each pair of jaws over the inner sole in directions at right angles or substantially at right angles to the edge of the inner sole at such places.

This invention consists of means constructed and arranged for operation in combination with the series of guiding bars or rods to which the jaws are secured for raising and lowering certain of such bars or rods for their respective jaws to be at such times respectively out of orin position for operation on the upper of the boot or shoe, all substantially as hereinafter fully described and the invention also consists of so constructing and arranging a pulling rod or bar for a pair of jaws that it can automatically be made yielding or rigid or vice versa, all substantially as hereinafter fully described, and the invention also consists of certain construction and ar-- rangement of other parts, all substantially as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings is illustrated the lasting machine described and ,sectionon line 99, Fig. 8.

shown in said patents having the present improvements applied thereto.

Figure 1, is a front elevation; Fig. 2, aplan view. Fig. 3, is a central vertical section from front to the rear showing one set of jaws connected to its guide rod or bar and means for operating it in side view; Figs. 4 and 11, detail plan views of some of the parts, but in two different positions. Figs. 5, 6 and 7, represent in side view one set of jaws in three different positions of operation on the upper. Fig. 8, is a plan view below the jaws of some of the operating parts with the frame in horizontal cross section. Fig. 9, is adetail Fig. 10, is a detail front View of means for raising and lowering the jaw guiding bars; Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 detail longitudinal sections of one of the rods for pulling the jaws; Fig. 17, a de tail central vertical section similar to Fig. 3,

but with some of the parts in different posi-' tions. larged.

In the drawings Arepresents a standard, its lower portion not being shown, supporting a bed plate B, and a box shaped frame 0 above the bed on which are supported and carried the operating parts of themachine.

D, D, represent pairs of jaws or clamps, there being eight pairs of jaws in the present machine and each pair of jaws is secured by a pivot Cb, between two arms of, and to the front end of a guide bar or holder E. The front portion of each guide bar is square in cross section and is disposedin an opening b, in the front wall F, of the frame and their rear ends which are round in cross section lie in and extend through corresponding sockets d, in the back frame G, and in which openings and sockets they can freely slide back and forth and which are so arranged when moved backward that the several bars will move in Fig. 18, is a detail cross section enlines that horizontally diverge and converge,

in relation to each other as shown more particularly in plan view, in Fig. 8, which lines of movement give the proper direction of the pull of the jaws upon the upperin the operation of the machine.

Each upper jaw H, of each pair of jaws is arranged to swing on its pivot a, between two arms e, of its lower jaw J, to and from the lower jaw, and both jaws as one on their guide bar, and pivoted to the upper ends of and between these arms, is an arm or lever K, which extends upward having at its lower end gear teeth f, which mesh into gear teeth 9, on the upper jaw, as shown more particularly in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

Pivoted to the upper end of the arm or lever K, by one end is a rod L, extending back therefrom above the frame and secured by a swiveling connection, to a radial arm M, of a horizontal rock shaft N, which shaft is adapted to turn in bearings in the side walls P, of the frame. Q is an arm of this rock shaft which is connected by a rod m, to any suitable treadle for operation of the same, and R, is another arm of the shaft having a chain at, attached thereto, which extends down over the pulleys q, secured to the standard and having a weight S, secured to it at its lower end, for returning the shaft to its normal position after it has been operated upon by the treadle and is left free to move.

In the machine shown in the drawings the two pulling rods L at the right are connected to one arm M, and the two rods at the left are connected to another arm M, of the rock shaft, while each of the others is connected toa separate arm, all as shown in Fig. 2, more particularly.

Each guide bar rests bya downwardly projecting pin 25, of the bar, upon a transverse horizontal bar T, arranged within the frame, which bar hasa peculiarly shaped under surface u, in cross section, resting on a reverse shaped upper surface 12, of the frame, but cori responding thereto and is arranged to freely move backward and forward thereon, and for such movements it is connected by pitman rods w, pivoted thereto at y, one at each end, to the rock shaft N.

Each pitman rod w, has an elongated slot Z,-in which the pivot y, plays so that the rod will move a short distance, before it acts upon the transverse bar to move it back. The transverse bar has a front rib or raised portion U, along its length which is cut away at intervals to allow for the various heights of the guide bars, and the pins t of the guide bars rest on the bar close to this rib.

The bearing surface '12, on which this transverse bar rests at its front portion is straight or substantially horizontal a short distance back from the front, and then it extends back ward and downward in a curved line, as shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 18, and the under side or surface of the transverse bar in cross section fitting such straight and curved line as stated. This bearing surface is straight and curved as described for the purpose of having the transverse bar when it first moves backward, move in a horizontal or substantially a horizontal line, then downward, to give a gradually increasing speed to the movement of the transverse bar from the horizontal direction to or approaching a perpendicular direction.

With the machine in the position shown in the principal figures in the drawings, the last having the inner sole and upper placed upon it is placed upon the jack shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, which can be of any suitable construction, the toe at the right as shown in Fig. 1, and the jack moved back on the bed until the inside of the side of the boot upper farther from the machine at or about its edge, is between the operating faces of the several lower jaws to guide bars 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, as shown in detail section as to one pair of jaws in Fig. 5; the jack being firmly held in position, presses down the treadle which will turn the rock shaft N, in the'direction of the arrow in the figures, by which the arms M, through their respective connecting rods L, to the arms or levers K, of the several pairs of jaws will cause the upper jaws by their gear connection therewith, assisted by gravitation, to swing on their pivots or fall down to and close upon the lower jaws as shown in Fig. 6, grasping between the two jaws of each pair of jaws the edge of the upper placed between them as shown. When so closed the continued movement of the shaft N, by the pitman rods moves back the transverse bar along the straight portion of its guiding and bearing surface correspondingly moving back the guide bars, engaging therewith, although this movement does not pull the jaws backward bodily, but merely swings their upper ends over backward to place them in a horizontal position, shown in Figs. 7 and 17, which is in the line of direction in which they are to be pulled to act upon the upper, and is in contradistinction to their inclined or angular position, shown in Fig. 6, and in such movement the jaws turn on their front ends as pivots, as it were, which front ends do not otherwise move downward or backward; in such movement the connecting rods L, are moved back by the shaft to correspond to the change of position of the jaws; and in the continued movement of the shaft the transverse bar will move down its curved bearing, the jaw guiding bars will all be pulled back which by the hold of the jaws upon the upper will stretch it firmly over the edge of the inner sole and hold it down upon the outer surface thereof, according to the stretch and tightness required of the upper over the innersole, when the upper is secured to the inner sole in any suitable manner. The construction, arrangement and operation of the machine so far are substantially the same as described in the Letters Patent referred to, except as to the curved bearing for the transverse bar; and the present improvements will now be fully described.

In the machine herein described eight pairs of jaws are shown, numbered 1 to S, inclusive and their respective guide bars, 11 n mbered 9 to 16 inclusive, but only six are used at a time, for instance, the four middle jaws 3, 4, 5, (3, are used all the time, and when the boot is lasted with the toe at the right as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,the two jaws '7, 8, at the right are used, but the two 1, 2, at the left are not and when the boot is turned round to' last the other side the two jaws 1, 2, at the of such jaws, shall be in position to operate or not operate as the case may be; another object is to automatically change the'mechanism that operates the jaws, which pull upon that part of the upper where it is desired to make the pull rigid, so that such pairs of j aws will give a rigid or yielding pullas desired.

Between the rods L, and the guide bars E, is a lever V, pivoted in the middle at a to the front frame to swing vertically thereon and having a handle I) for operating it.v At the left pivoted at d to the lever, is an arm W, extending downward between the two bars 9, 10, and having oppositely extending side arms 6 which are respectively disposed under these two guide bars and their respective pairs of jaws 1,2, and at the other end of the lever V, is pivoted at f another arm Y,

extending downward between the twobars 15, 16 of the two pairs of jaws 7, 8, and having oppositely extending side arms 9, which are disposed under the guide bars and their respective pairs of jaws, all as shown in Fig. 9. In this figure, the lever is swung for its left end to hold the guide bars, and their respective jaws 1, 2, up and free of the boot upper, as shown in Fig. 1, so that such jaws will not operate upon the upper, while the jaws 7, 8, at the right are in their lowerpositions to operate upon the upper near the toe as shown in Fig. 1; when the boot is turned round to operate upon its other side, the lever is then swung for its right end to raise the guide bars and their respective jaws 7, 8, at the right, out of the way and in position to not operate while the other end of the lever will be down, for the jaws 1,2, tobe inpositionto operate upon the upper." The two middle rods 20-21 to jaws at, 5, are made so as to'be longitudinally rigid, while the two outer ones, on each side are made to be yieldingand the other two 19, 22 to jaws 8, 6, are made so as to be alternately rigid and yielding as desired. All the rods on each side are made in two parts h,m,'one part h of which in all but 20 and 21 screws into a sleeve 'A, and being set on the rod, by a nut 17. screwing on the rod against the end of the sleeve the other m is arranged to freely slide back and forth in a central longitudinal socket r in the sleeve. In these rods thesleeve has a reduced port-ion along its length over which is a spiral spring B secured by its end 't thereto and which extends beyond the sleeve over a collar 0, rigidly secured to the part m, of the rod, and wound down close upon the rod itself beyond the collar as shown in Figs. 13 and 15 more particularly, to make'a shoulder against the collar. As the part m,

of the rod is pulled' upon by the turning of the shaft its collar 0 pulls against theshoulder of the spring B on the rod, which yielding more or less allows the two parts of the rods to be pulled apart accordingly, the part m, moving in the sleeve, the rods thus being yielding more or less according to the strength of the springs.

The rods 4 and 5,although not yielding are made in two parts to allow one of the parts to swivel on the other and in Fig. 15, is shown in longitudinal section their construction the .part h screwing in to one end of a piece a, its other end having'a cap 0, rigidly secured toit, in which cap between the end of the piece and the head of the cap is disposed a block w secured by a rivet to the end of the part'm of the rod so it can freelyturn in the capor vice versa.

It is necessary for the better lasting of the upper that the pull upon the upper at a point on each side of the boot between the shank and ball, or at the front of the shank, should be firm and rigid. Therefore the jaws 3, 6, which alternately act upon that part of the upper referred to according as one side or the other is being lasted, are arranged to alternately give a rigid and a yielding pull, andthe change'from one to the other to facilitate the lasting of the boot is made automatically, and the construction and the arrangement of the rods L, for such purpose are more particularly shown in Figs. 12, 13-and l4 and will now be described.

The inner end of the portion m of each of the two rods L, to the two pairs of jaws which are desired-to act yielding or rigid, has a socket a" in one side, in which enters the end of a cross pin D which passes freely through an opening I) in the side of the sleeve and which is secured at right anglesby its outer end to a disk or plateE: A flat spring F secured to the end of the sleeve A by the nut n on the rod is bent over and along the side of the sleeve and bears upon the disk E to keep the pin in place. Each pinis arranged to turn in its socket and is operated by its disk, its movements being limited by a curved slot 01' in the disk concentric with the'pin D of the sleeve. "This pin has an inclined face f" or is beveled at its inner end as shown in Figs. 12 and 14, so that when the pin is turned for such bevel side or incline to be across the sleeve if the rod is pulled the socket a" will press against such bevel or incline and force the pin outward sufficient for the end of the part m, of the rod to pass by the pin when the rod will be pulled against its spring and thus be correspondingly yielding. But it the pinbe turned round one quarter of a turn or so that its bevel sideis in line with the sleeve, the solid side'of the pin will be in such position, that'when the rod is pulled the pin will remain in the-socket and make a rigid connection of the two parts of the rod and con sequently giving a rigid pull to the jaws. Each pin D to each rod is turned for this purpose by operating its disk or plate E, that is, by turning it either to the right or left, the pin serving as a pivot and this is accomplished as the rods are pulled back in operating the shaft by the disk of the rod to jaw 3, striking against either one of two vertical rods or bars, 2526 of the lever and the disk of the rod or jaw 6, striking against either one of two other vertical rods or bars 27 28 of the lever, as the lever is swung on its pivot for either one or the other of said bars to be in the path of the disks as the rods are pulled back in the operation of the ma. chine. As shown in the drawings the lever is swung on its pivot for its left hand end to be uppermost and for the two pairs of jaws at the right to operate upon the upper to last it, the boot being placed in the machine as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the two pairs of jaws at the left being raised out of position to operate. In such positions the pulling rod to jaw 6, is rigid and the other pulling rod to jaw 3, yielding, and in such case as the rods are pulled back in lasting the upper the positions of the two sets of bars of the lever are such that the disks will move freely back and forth between their respective lever bars and not touch them and therefore the disks not being operated upon the rods will remain in such conditions, but having lasted one side of the upper, to last the other side the last or jack is moved back from the machine and turned half round and then moved back in place until the other side of the boot upper is in position for the jaws to operate thereon as before for the first side of the upper. The lever is then swung on its pivot for its right end to be uppermost and its left end lowermost, which elevates the two pairs of jaws 7 8, at the right so they can not operate on the upper and lower the other two pairs of jaws 1,2, at the left into position for operation on the upper, also the cant given to the vertical bars by the swing of the lever being laterally at an opposite angle to that shown in Fig. 8, or as in dotted lines in Fig. 4:. Now if the machine is operated in the pulling back of the rods the edge of the disk to jaw 6 rod will strike against the bar 28 of the lever and the edge of the disk to jaw 3, rod against the bar 26, of the lever and as they pass by they will both be turned into the positions, shown in Fig. 11, and their respective pins D will be turned so that the pin to jaw 3, will be in position to make its connection rigid and the pin of the rod to jaw 6, will be in po sition to make its connection yielding as described the opposite to that in which they were before, the disks being then in the positions shown in plan, in Fig. 11; if the lever is moved back into its position shown in Fig.

8, and the rods then pulled back the disks will then strike the other arms 27 and 25 of the lever and as they pass by will be turned and their respective pins turned into their first positions for rigid and yielding connections of their respective rods. Thus the swinging of the lever to raise and lower the jaws as described also moves the lever bars laterally into positions for the disks or plates on the rods to jaws 3 and 6, to abut or strike against them and as they pass by cause them to swivel and each make its respective rod yielding or rigid as desired and for the desired pulls upon the upper.

The lever is locked in both of its positions and it is done as follows and as shown in Fig. 9. Fitting in a horizontal socket g" in the front of the frame is apin J which is adapted to freely slide back and forth therein and project outward therefrom having a spring h" behind it to force it outward and in the inner side of the lever is a socket m of the same diameter and in line with the frame socket g and having a plunger K fitting therein, having a shank at extending through an opening to the outside and there having a head L. There are two of these plungers one for each position of the lever and when the lever is in either position the pin J is forced outward byits spring into the lever socket m" of the plunger that is opposite thereto; to unlock the lever press upon thehead L, that is opposite the frame socket g which presses back the pin J sufficiently to allow the lever to freely move down or up and when in its other position the pin will be forced out into the lever socket m" and lock it in such position. The plunger is made of a length that when its head is against the lever its inner end will be flush with the inner side of the lever so that the pin will be entirely free thereof allowing of free movement of the lover.

The construction of the yielding rod and its connections are very important it having four diiferent points of advantage, first, one part can swivel upon the other which is desirable to allow for the laterally varying movements of the jaws or line of movements when being pulled backward; second, the rod is yielding which prevents an undue strain upon and injury to the leather more or less; third, it can be adjusted as to its length by turning on or off the sleeve; and fourth, by the collar 0' of one part of the rod bearing against the sleeve A secured to the other part of the rod, the rod in its movement backward Will be rigid securing the proper placing of the jaws in position for operation as before.

The two guide bars 12 and 13 have flat springs M secured on their upper sides which in the backward movements of the bars in the operation of the machine bear up against rollers N respectively secured in the frame to force the guide bars and thus the jaws close down in the hollow of the shank, to hold the upper close to the inner sole at such place for the upper to be better secured to the sole.

The end of the part m of the rod L, shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14 is beveled as at r" to allow the part m, to slip by the pin D by; the spring pressure to again lock it with the pin.

The bearing surface need not have any straight portion, as the curve can start at the first at which place however it can-be substantially in a horizontal plane, the balance of the curved line extending down wardly quitequickly. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In alasting machine having a series of pairs of jaws adapted to grasp and hold the upper of a boot or shoe between them and each pair of jaws connected to a separate guide bar adapted to move back and forth in suitable guideways, in combination, one or more of the outer of said guide bars on each side, and a lever pivoted at its central portion to a suitable support and provided with means to engage .at each end respectively with said outer guide bars to respectively raise them.

2. In a lasting machine having a series of pairs of jaws adapted to grasp and hold the upper of a boot or shoe between them and each pair of jaws connected to a guide bar adapted to move back and forth in suitable guideways, in combination, one or more of the outer of said guide bars on each side, and a lever pivoted at its central portion to a suitable support and provided with a downwardly extending shouldered arm or arms to engage with said guide bars for the purpose specified.

3. In a lasting machine having a series of pairs of jaws adapted to grasp and hold the upper of a boot or shoe between them and each pair of jaws connected to a guide bar adapted to move back and forth in guideways, in. combination, a lever pivoted to a frame or support and provided with means to engage with said guide bars, asocket in said lever, a shouldered push knob adapted to move back and forth in said socket,a socketin said frame, a spring pin arranged to move back and forth in said frame socket and said lever'socket for the purpose specified.

4. In a lasting machine in combination a guide bar provided with a pair of jaws for operation on the upper of a boot, or shoe, a rod connected thereto made in two parts, a sleeve or holder into which one partis screwed, a central longitudinal socket in said sleeve or holderin which the other part is disposed and adapted to move back and forth therein, a shoulder or collar on said second part, and a spiral spring secured to said'sleeve by one end and extending along said sleeve over said collar and having a reduced portion on the rod beyond said collar for the purpose specified.

5. In a lasting machine in combination a guide bar provided with a pair of jaws for operation on the upper of a boot or shoe, a rod connected thereto made in two parts, a sleeve or holder into which one part is secured, a central longitudinal socket in said which the pin sleeve orholder in which the other part is disposed and adapted to move back and forth therein, a transverse socket in said sleeve or holder at one side, a pin adapted to-slide back and forth in saidsocket and having an inner beveled end,'a disk or plate secured to said pin outside of said sleeve, a spring-secured to said sleeve, by one end and adaptedto bear upon said disk or plate, and aisocket in the side of the part of the rod in the sleeve with engages for the purpose specified.

6. In a lasting machine in combination a guide bar provided with a pair of jaws for operation on the upper of a boot or shoe, al-rod connected thereto made in two parts, a sleeve or holder intov which one part is secured, a central longitudinal socket in said sleeve or holder in which the other part is disposed and adapted to move back and forth therein, a shoulder or collar on said part and a spiral spring secured to said sleeve by one end and extending along said sleeve over said collar and. having a reduced portion on the rod beyond the collar, a transverse socket in said sleeve orholder at one side, a pin adapted to slide back and forth in said socket and having an inner beveled end, a disk or plate se-.

cured to said pin outside of said sleeve, a spring secured to said sleeve, by one end and adapted to bear upon saididisk or plate, a socket in the side of the part of the rodin the sleeve with which the pin engages and a le.- vcr pivoted to a suitable support provided with means to operate upon said disks for the purpose specified.

7. In a lasting machine in combination a guide bar provided with a pair of jaws for operation on the upper of a boot or shoe, a rod connected thereto made in two parts, a sleeve or holder into which one part is secured a central longitudinal socket in said sleeve or holderin which the other part is disposed and adapted to move back and forth therein, a

transverse socket in said sleeve or holder at one side, a pin adapted to slide back and forth in said socket and having an inner beveled end, a disk or plate secured to said pin outside of said sleeve, a spring secured to said sleeve, by one end and adapted to bear upon said disk or plate, and a socket in the side of the part of the rod in the sleeve with which the pin engages and a lever pivoted to the frame and constructed and adapted to engage with and operate said disk for the purpose specified.

8. In a lasting machine in combination a IIO end, a disk or plate secured to said pin outside of said sleeve, a spring secured to said sleeve, by one end and adapted to bear upon said disk or plate, and a socket in the side of the part of the rod in the sleeve with which the pin engages and a lever pivoted to the frame and provided with arms to operate said disk for the purpose specified.

9. In a lasting machine in combination a series of pairs of jaws adapted to grasp and hold the upper of a boot or shoe between them and each pairof jaws connected toaseparate guide bar adapted to move back and forth in suitable guideways, in combination a series of rods onet-o each pairof jaws and connected thereto, two of said rods being rigid longitudinally, four of said rods being yielding longitudinally and the other two being made in two parts and connected together by a sleeve and spring by which they can yield longitudinally and provided with locking mechanism by which they are made rigid for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT F. PRESTON. Witnesses:

EDWIN W. BROWN, CARRIE E. NICHOLS. 

